In Sweden you have to switch on your headlights on the freeway, in Spain trucks are only allowed to enter the city center at certain times, and in Germany there is a Sunday driving ban for trucks over 7.5 tons. Here we reveal these and other country-specific peculiarities and what’s behind them.

The ban on driving on Sundays and public holidays in Germany is intended to relieve leisure and vacation traffic and minimize noise pollution. The same applies to the driving bans in some Spanish city centers. They are also intended to reduce pollution in major cities and protect infrastructure such as roads and bridges. And in Switzerland, if you always have your lights on, you won’t forget to switch them on as soon as you enter one of the many tunnels.

In some US states, there are even strict regulations on the maximum length of trucks to ensure safety on narrow and winding roads and to prevent bridge damage. And in China, trucks often have to drive around entire regions or obtain special permits to do so – depending on their license plates. This is the only way to reduce traffic congestion in busy areas. In Japan, the right-hand lane is off-limits to trucks on certain stretches of road in order to improve traffic flow.

Some US states even stipulate the maximum length of trucks. Photo: vitpoh/iStock

Kangaroo bumpers

Special kangaroo bumpers are not mandatory in some rural areas of Australia, but they are strongly recommended to protect vehicles in the event of frequent wildlife accidents on long roads with little traffic. Snow chains, on the other hand, are mandatory in Norway so that you are always safe on the road, even in the often extreme winter conditions.

If you ever end up in Brazil with your truck, you are not allowed to spend your prescribed rest periods just anywhere, but only at the designated service stations or rest stops. This is to ensure that you really get a good rest. Slept well after a few glasses of wine? In France, you must always have a breathalyzer with you so that you can test whether you are still or already fit to drive. However, if you are caught without one, the Flics will usually turn a blind eye.

Drinking too much? In France, you must always have a breathalyzer with you. Photo: Serhil Sobolevski/iStock

As you can see, different countries have different approaches to ensuring road safety, environmental protection and quality of life. Do you know of any other country-specific regulations that you would like to tell us about?